The present invention relates to a new field of multi-functional garment systems which are useful for a variety of activities including athletic activities such as bicycling and hiking, as well as activities in adverse weather conditions such as snow camping. Multi-functional garment systems bring together for the first time, in an integrated and modular form, functions and features which heretofore were found only in distinct and separate fields.
For example, electrically heated garments are known. Illustrative examples are the following. U.S. Pat. No. 3,644,705 (Johnson) shows a low voltage, electrically heated shirt. U.S. Pat. No. 3,084,241 (Carrona) shows another electrically heated garment. And U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,797 (Marsh) shows a football jersey having electrically heated pockets for warming the hands. Another electrically heated garment is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,620 (Yuasa).
In most cases, the electrically heated garments are not controllable. Either the heating source is connected to a battery and therefore ON, or it is disconnected and therefore OFF. The patent to Carrona shows use of a thermostatic control.
Another class of garments employ inflatable chambers to improve their insulative capabilities. Examples include the following. U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,906 (Nishida et al) shows a heat-retaining article that includes inflatable envelopes attached to a sheet material. The envelopes are inflated by blowing air into an inlet tube provided for that purpose. A later patent also issued to Nishida et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,366, also shows a garment that includes inflatable chambers. The disclosure states that the insulative properties may be adjusted by controlling the amount of air blown into the pockets and thereby controlling the amount of inflation. A similar type of inflatable garment is disclosed in French Patent No. 2,459,012 (Pastore).
None of these patents suggests any type of automatic inflation or deflation of the garment. Nor do these references suggest combining inflatable chambers with electrical heating means.
Another type of apparatus which was distinct in the prior art, yet is relevant to the present invention, are those that provide for carrying an audio entertainment device such as a radio on the person of a user. Examples of such apparatus are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,700 (Sato) which shows a vest having a pocket sized to hold a portable radio. A pair of speakers are sewn into the vest, as well as lead wires for interconnecting the radio to the speakers and to a power source. A solar cell power source, attached to the vest, is shown in FIG. 4.
Another portable entertainment device is a neck strap that includes a portable radio, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,646 (Nesbitt et al). A radio-thermal headband is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,130 (Kuznetz). The Kuznetz patent shows a fabric headband which incorporates a replaceable thermal cartridge for heat as well as a miniature radio set.
An inflatable mattress for use with water-related activities is equipped with a waterproof container for housing an audio signal source, such as a radio, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,087 (Nesbitt).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,236 (Jaunin) show a timepiece combined with a thermometer. In other words, the electric wristwatch disclosed therein displays both the time and temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,694 (Vlakancic et al) discloses a solid state accumulating altimeter which may be worn, for example, on a user's wrist. That device may also have a time display, so that it functions as a wristwatch as well as an altimeter, and a synthesized voice output may be included for audibly reporting data to the user when visual observation of the display is not practical.
Some or all of the various functions cited above, as well as several new functions disclosed below, may be useful at one time or another. However, it is impractical, cumbersome and expensive for a user to buy and maintain separate devices for each of these functions. What is needed is a multi-functional garment system that provides a plurality of selected functions.